Making sauerkraut-style fermented greens
The Fat Hen Cookery School has titles like The Art of Fermentation and Real Food Fermentation so I am taking advantage of the abundance of alliums growing locally and fermenting something like a sauerkraut or kimchi to eat later in the season.
I am using two diferent greens, three-cornered leeks and wild garlic, using the same recipe for both.
Recipe for fermented wild greens
Tote bag full of ramsom leaves
1tbsp coarse sea salt
Instructions:
Wash leaves thoroughly.
Sandwich the greens between layers of salt.
Use your hands to rub the grains of salt into the leaves, this will cause the leaves to exude liquid. Use a combination of rubbing and pressing to break down the plant fibres and express as much liquid from the greens as possible.
Use a smaller bowl (that will fit fairly snugly inside the first bowl) to crush the greens down further. Use a lot of weight inside the book to put as much weight on the greens as possible, the liquid should be covering the greens entirely. Leave overnight.
I used a pestle and mortar, covered in water, to weigh down my greens.
The next day
After leaving the fermenting greens overnight, I prepared sterilised jars and some smooth rocks (boiled previously) to weigh the greens down when they are in the jar, keeping them under the level of the liquid to ensure anaerobic fermentation. I also used ramsom leaves for both types of wild food sauerkraut as a kind of ‘mat’ across the top of the sauerkraut to further keep the plant matter pressed down flat under the liquid.
Use tongs to thoroughly pack the greens into the jars, cover with the ramsom leaf mat and a rock, and seal lids.
Should be ready to eat in 2-3 months.
I prepared the three-cornered (or tri-cornered) leeks in exactly the same way.
Mat of ramsom leaves weighed down by a clean rock
Related;
Other wild food foraging and bottling recipes
Cleaning and preparing seaweed
kellymariemcewan 